Everyone who joined us at the Fall 2015 NCSLA Membership meeting on November 11th in Winston-Salem were treated to fantastic speakers and a wealth of resources! The program, “Improving Literacy through Science Leadership: Engaging Strategies to Integrate Science and Literacy,” focused on the research behind the development of literacy skills through science programs as well as best practices that work. NCSLA hosted a variety of speakers and a showcase of exemplary programs that show how to effectively integrate science and literature.

Highlights of the Fall Meeting:

Dr. David Pugalee, Director of the Center for Mathematics, Science, & Technology Education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, revealed the importance of using STEM learning to build literacy skills. Doing so results in learners who are critical thinkers capable of reasoning and understanding…the ultimate goal of education. Dr. Eric Wiebe, a Professor in the Department of STEM Education at NC State University and Senior Research Fellow at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, focused on the use of science notebooks for multimodal (drawing and writing) expression of abstract scientific ideas as well as engaging students in argumentation as part of their writing.

Dr. Tammy Lee, Assistant Professor in the College of Education at East Carolina University, presented her work on Science teachers’ selection and use of visual representations.

Charles Nusinov, Executive Director of Teaching and Learning in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, described the use of the Instructional Leadership Team Model to impact teacher practice and increase student achievement.

Manley Midgett, Adjunct Professor at Meredith College in Raleigh, wrapped up the program with an educational as well as entertaining presentation called “So, You're in Charge of Science; Now What?”

ABOUT NCSLA

The North Carolina Science Leadership Association (NCSLA) provides opportunities for science educators at all levels to exchange ideas and information, promote the cause of quality science instruction, and influence the creation of policies and legislation.